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CLEARED!
They put a yellow cleared tag on each door as they could verify you were in the room. Dateline: May 1, 2010, 10:30pm Eastern
Location: 5 hours east/northeast of Ft. Lauderdale- Atlantic Ocean
Aboard the Crown Princess Cruise Ship
A few minutes ago the general alarm was sounded throughout the ship…a piercing 7 short blasts and one long. The Captain came on over the entire ship’s intercom telling us that there was a report of a person overboard and that he was turning the ship around! All passengers were asked to return to their cabins immediately.
Over the next 40 minutes, the Captain came back on with announcement that he was turning the ship around and we were going back to where the person was sighted overboard. He mustered all the crew to their emergency stations.
A few minutes later the general alarm was sounded again, and the Captain came on again this time “ordering” all passengers back to their staterooms NOW! He said it two or three times in a VERY forceful and commanding voice. What idiots, evidently some people did not go back to their rooms when the first announcements were made.
Our room steward Sobon, went to every door and knocked to assure that all his passengers were accounted for then placed a bright yellow “Cleared” sign on the door.
It has now been almost one hour and the bridge has announced about a half dozen names that sound Spanish and asked each of them to call the bridge immediately.
Now the Captain has asked for a particular crew member to call the bridge (also with a Spanish surname). It’s possible that some of these people have not returned to their staterooms as they do not speak English and do not understand the announcements…I’m just speculating here.
The Captain has asked all persons in the balcony rooms as well as the crew to be on the lookout for anything in the water.
Another announcement just now 11:30pm from the Captain that he has notified the Coast Guard that there may be a person in the water and that they were notifying all ships in the area.
The Captain said they were continuing to account for all passengers and once again, for people in the balcony rooms to keep a lookout.
This is so surreal. We are right over the spot where the person supposedly went overboard and the ship is now “drifting” in the same direction a person would be drifting in hopes of sighting the person. The captain asked the emergency boat crews to muster.
There is no sleep in this cabin- Baja Deck 237, as we await the next announcement.
(by the way we are crossing another time zone tonight and will move our clocks forward another hour)
Midnight… we just got notice from the Captain… ALL passengers are on board!!!! The Coast Guard has given us permission to get underway again. The crew is asked to “stand down”. I am so happy this is over, what a horrible thought that someone might have been overboard in this cold Atlantic water. One hour and ten minutes to:
1. Receive notification that someone might be overboard
2. Put emergency procedures into place
3. Get over 3000 passengers back to their staterooms and accounted for
4. Get over 1000 crew members accounted for
5. Turn the ship around and more…
pretty good I’d say! Kudos to the Captain and crew. Sounds like we’re in really good hands.
Time for bed, hope I can go to sleep. We don’t need any more of these “adventures” ;-) Sleep tight.
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Claudia
non-member comment
Well, that's a rip snortin' way to start a vacation!
My heart is in my throat reading your posting. Good heavenly days, what an experience for everyone on the ship. Did they pull someone out of the water.... or was someone just missing? Can't wait for an update! Go have a nice glass of wine, or something stronger. Sweet dreams..... Hugs, Claudia